Comedy and diplomacy intertwined during a recent State Department-sponsored comedy tour of

Comedy and diplomacy intertwined during a recent State Department-sponsored comedy tour of India by three Indian-American stand-up comedians, reports News India Times.

For the “Make Chai Not War” tour, which took place Jan. 4-17, Rajiv Satyal, Hari Kondabolu and Azhar Usman visited Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Patna, Kolkata, Durgapur and Mumbai in an effort to ease tensions and bring some laughter to sensitive issues such as religion, politics, and the caste system.

Each comedian brought his own distinct background as an American of South Asian origin to bear.

Hailing from different backgrounds and religions – Usman is a Muslim, while Satyal and Kondabolu are Hindus – their material reflected their upbringing. The three also have distinct styles – Satyal covers social topics in a logical way, Kondabolu breaks down complex political and racial issues in a way the audience can relate and Usman shares stories and life philosophies dissecting how Muslims are perceived.

“It’s nice to be in India. It’s a totally different vibe here,” Usman told the audience. “When I walk down the street in the United States, I get dirty looks … for being a Muslim. So over here, it’s kinda nice to be … hated just for being an American.”

In an India that they found to be “nothing like what their parents left behind,” the three saw a chance to break away from American racial politics.

In America, they said, it’s hard not to be classified into a certain category – “Indian,” “brown” etc. – their personal goal is to “shed identities and be the best comedian,” Usman said. Satyal added his mantra is “to chose your label, define your path and run your own race.”

Usman told News India Times, “The show started out as an attempt to foster relationships between Hindus and Muslims.” It began in 2007, when Usman and Satyal performed at Georgetown University to a mostly Hindu and Muslim audience. The State Department took notice the following year after a sold-out show in nearby Arlington, VA.

The tour in India presented additional challenges.

Their trip to India was touted as a diplomatic and political mission. “It’s hard enough being a comedian,” Kondabolu said, but then to strike the balance between being humorous and delivering the message of bonhomie was a Herculean challenge.

Satyal concurred, but clarified that “the goals of the State Department weren’t necessarily our goals.” He said the comedians were focused on their gags and commended officials for allowing them a free rein. “We were invited as artists, and since the premise of a tour like this is that we are comedians, we could say what we wanted,” he told News India Times.